Major League Baseball Betting

Major League Baseball betting is not as popular in 2015 as it was half a century ago; in fact, as the popularity of baseball waned in the past few decades, interest in MLB (and baseball betting) has been at a steady decline. The National Football League puts up far better numbers in terms of TV and live audiences.

But it’s not all bad news. After the strikes and PED scandals of the 90s and 2000s, baseball fans were an endangered species. Interest in college football was turning that event from a niche sport with little TV coverage or corporate sponsorship into the massive industry it is today. NCAA football fandom and TV viewership eclipsed baseball for about ten years. But that’s changed – baseball is officially more popular than college football (again), so it’s likely that interest in MLB betting is also on the rise.

If you’re a fan of the game, you already know almost everything you need to know in order to place a confident wager on baseball. Below are some pieces of information and advice I think will help you when you’re ready to place your first wager.

Let’s start with a look at the most common ways to wager on MLB games:

The Moneyline

A bet on the moneyline asks the bettor to select which team will win outright.

If you want to bet on the moneyline, you’ll be betting on one of two teams in a particular baseball game to win. Unlike point spreads, which bettors may be familiar with from other sports, with moneyline wagers it doesn’t matter how many runs a team wins by – a W is a W.

A wager on the team that’s favored by your sportsbook to win pays out less for a win than a wager on an underdog who pulls off an upset. Bettors like the moneyline for its simplicity. Using the moneyline, you can figure out a number of things about a contest – which team is at home, which side the book favors to win, and a couple of important financial details.

Here’s an example of a moneyline from a totally made-up game:

LA Angels +107

Houston -110

In this example, LA is listed on top, meaning they are the away team. Houston is shown with a (-) symbol, indicating it is the favorite. The +107 next to LA means a successful wager on the underdog Angles pays out $1.07 for every $1 bet. The -110 next to the Astros means successful wagers on Houston would earn $1 for every $1.10 bet.

The Run Line

A bet on the run line asks the bettor to wager on whether a team will win by two or more runs.

It’s the most complex way to wager on baseball – and in my opinion it’s a prop bet, anyway – but with a short explanation you’ll totally understand it.

Here’s an example of a run line I made up to go with our above example:

LA Angels +1.5 / -140

Houston -1.5 / +120

The first set of numbers tells you whether the team has to either (a) win outright or lose by just one run or (b) win outright by two runs or more. You have to wager on one of those two sides. In our example, Houston is listed as (-1.5), indicating that they are the favorite. That means the Astros have to win outright by two runs or more for the bet to pay off. The trade-off? The bet pays $1.20 for every $1 bet. A wager on LA only requires that LA win or lose by less than two runs. This is usually a much more likely proposition, so the bet only pays $1 for every $1.40 wagered. Taking a risk by wagering that the ‘Stros will win by multiple runs earns you $0.60 on the dollar more than a safer wager on the Angels.

Some bettors think of the run line as a combination of the point spread and the moneyline; it’s certainly more complex (and can carry a lot more risk) than straight up moneyline betting.

Game Totals

A bet on game totals (also called “the over/under”) ask the bettor to wager on the total number of runs scored by both sides of a baseball game.

This is baseball’s version of classic over/under betting, in which you wager whether the total number of runs scored is over or under a number established by the book.

Using our above example once more:

LAA @ Hou O/U 8

If you think the Angels and Astros will score seven runs or fewer, bet the “under.” If you think they’ll score nine runs or more, bet the “over”.

Baseball Betting Basics

Betting on an entire season of baseball is the gambler’s equivalent of an ultra-marathon. The number of games available on a single day is impressive – now stretch that out to five months of regular season play and it’s easy to see how MLB bettors get burned out.

The tips below should help you form a decent baseball betting strategy and maintain your composure throughout the ups and downs of a typical baseball season.

Tip #1: Get chummy with statistics.

I’m not saying the two of you should settle down and get married; but you should incorporate some of the amazing wealth of statistics available for the modern game into your strategy.

An incredible number of statistics are available to modern bettors; so-called Sabermetrics has revolutionized the way the game is played. Statistics nerds have given us obscure tools like “weighted park factor” (not to mention the value of their umpire-tracking databases), all of which should make your life as a bettor a bit easier.

Tip #2: It’s not just a pitching battle.

When people describe MLB games as “pitching battles,” they’re just wrong. That’s a simplistic way to look at the sport. Concentrating on a single position is a good way to burn through your bankroll. Whether you believe that pitchers are the most important players on the diamond or not, you should be researching multiple positions and influences, and not concentrating all your time on starting pitchers.

Tip #3: Become an expert on player injuries.

Baseball seasons are long and short-term injuries and rest periods are common. It’s common for an MLB team to play a player on the disabled list for a single day. If you don’t have time to research down-card injuries at least be familiar with the status of key players on the teams you wager on. A subtle change in a lineup can require a totally different approach as a bettor.

The length of a baseball season and the frequency and regularity of its schedule is probably the biggest handicap MLB bettors face. Losing streaks are more common for MLB bettors because the schedule is so packed.

Still, baseball is America’s cultural pastime, and bets on the game appeal to both casual and lifelong fans. Today’s refined statistics and advanced tools, all available on the other side of a phone app, make it even easier to wager on baseball games, live, on your computer, or on your tablet or smartphone.

Baseball Betting Questions and Answers

Once America’s pastime, Major League Baseball (MLB) has taken a backseat to the NFL and NBA in terms of popularity in recent years. But this isn’t to say that the MLB doesn’t still draw a sizeable amount of betting action each season.

Given that baseball betting is still popular, let’s go over some common questions and answers related to the game.

How Does Baseball Betting Work?

Baseball betting starts by visiting an online sportsbook and funding your account with one of the available banking options.
Once you have funds available, you can look at the different bets and odds available. We’ll discuss what types of bets are available below.

How Does Live Baseball Betting Work?

Live betting, a.k.a. in-game wagering, allows you to bet on outcomes in the middle of a baseball game. Examples include: the next team to hit a homerun, the next player to hit a homerun, and if a pitcher will throw a complete game.
Keep in mind that live betting lines appear and disappear fast, so you need to watch for these closely during a game.

What Is the Run Line in Baseball Betting?

One thing that’s truly unique to baseball betting is the run line. This acts like a point spread in football or basketball, where the favored team must make up runs, and the underdog is spotted runs. Here’s a sample run line:
Atlanta +1.5NY Mets -1.5
In this example, the Mets are favored and must win by 2 runs for a successful wager. Atlanta is the underdog and must lose by one run or win the game for a successful bet.

What Is the Moneyline in Baseball?

The moneyline is a straight-up bet that attaches odds to teams to balance out betting action on both sides of the line. Here’s an example:
Miami +190Arizona -170
A bet on Arizona would see you risk $170 to win $100. A wager on Miami would see you bet $100 to win $190. It doesn’t matter how many runs a team wins by on the moneyline, just so long as they win.

What Is the Over Under in Baseball?

The over/under calls on you to bet on whether two teams will combine for more or less runs than the given total. Take a look at this sample:
Kansas City O/U 6.5Detroit O/U 6.5
If you bet that Kansas City and Detroit will combine for less than 6.5 runs, you’re betting the under. If you wager that they’ll combine for more than 6.5 runs, you’re taking the over.

Does Baseball Betting Offer Apps?

You can easily bet on baseball through your smartphone or tablet. Just look for online sportsbooks that are compatible with a mobile device, make a deposit, and start placing your bets.

Is Baseball Betting Profitable?

Baseball is one of the most statistically driven sports there is, meaning you’ll have a wealth of numbers available when making bets.
If you can learn advanced statistics better than your opponents, then you have a good chance to be a long-term winner.
Of course, with the house taking a 10% cut from the losing side’s wagers, most people won’t be winners with baseball betting.

Do Betting Systems Work in Baseball?

You’ll see betting systems offered that are supposed to help you win far more often with baseball betting. Most of these systems revolve around spotting player and statistical trends.
Testing systems is a nice way to try new things with baseball betting. But keep in mind that no system is guaranteed to make you a long-term winner – otherwise, everybody would be using it.

What Are Some Good Baseball Betting Tips?

As mentioned above, baseball is full of statistics, and you want to research player and team trends for a variety of stats. It may take a while before you truly master what’s important and what’s not, so the amount of time that you put into the matter will greatly affect your win rate.
It’s also highly important that you pay attention to injuries because some bettors overlook this with how many games there are each week.
Along with this, pay attention to how teams are trending based on their schedule. 162 games are a lot to play, and it’s easy for teams to lose motivation at certain points of the season.

Is Baseball Betting Legal?

Baseball wagering is largely accepted and legal in Canada and many other countries. But in the US, online baseball betting is technically illegal.
This comes from when the US Department of Justice stated that online betting is the only thing that’s illegal under the Wire Act of 1961. Even still, offshore betting sites commonly offer lines to Americans, who in turn bet on them.